The great unknown at Red Bull: These are the names in the crosshairs for 2025

Since summer break, Red Bull has expressed its dissatisfaction with the performance of Sergio "Checo" Pérez throughout the year. The Mexican driver failed to score points in several key races, leaving the team with only one car in the fight for both championships. This situation has generated frustration within the team, since its director, Christian Horner, has repeatedly expressed: "We are competing against three teams that score points with both cars. We are only accumulating with Max's car, and thus it is impossible to fight."

Given this scenario, Red Bull has begun to explore alternatives for the seat currently occupied by Pérez, ahead of the 2025 season.

Photo:  Red Bull racing 

“The remaining races of this season will decide what our driver pairings will be like for next year. I can perfectly imagine that a junior driver will drive alongside Max," declared Helmut Marko, Red Bull's sports advisor in Formula 1 about the future formation that the squad will have.

The two names that stand out on the list of candidates are Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson, both members of the Red Bull Racing training program. Tsunoda has spent the entire season competing for Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, where he has shown irregular performance: he has had brilliant performances in some races, but also days to forget.

On the other hand, Liam Lawson is going to take center stage in the final stretch of the year by replacing Daniel Ricciardo in the last six races. Until then, Lawson had played the role of reserve pilot.

Photo: Visa Cash App Racing Bulls

It is important to keep in mind that Checo Pérez is still in this competition for the seat because the renewal of his contract with Red Bull, signed in june, links him with the team until 2026. This places the team in a complex situation, since any change in the lineup before that date would involve renegotiations or financial agreements to end the contract early.

This decision must be made in conjunction with the team's directors, led by Christian Horner. However, Helmut Marko has made it clear that the young drivers are the main candidates for the position: "We decided to compare Lawson and Tsunoda. They have the same material, the same conditions, and each one has six races to prove who is the best. But Tsunoda is a serious candidate to drive alongside Max in 2025" informs motorsports.